Bhalchandra Dattatray Mondhe

Bhalchandra Dattatray Mondhe (born 15 March 1944) is an Indian artist, photographer, sculptor and painter from Madhya Pradesh. In 2016, the President of India bestowed upon him the Padma Shri award for his lifetime work in photography. He has authored two books, including Birds of Sirpur, which he co-authored. Mondhe co-founded an NGO to save the Sirpur Lake, The Nature Volunteers, which is credited with reviving the Sirpur Lake.

Early life and career Mondhe first encountered photography when he was 17. He subsequently became passionate about photography during his youth. The magazine India Today described his work as "unconventional", mentioning: "Indore-based Bhalu Mondhe uses anything that is handy – any material and any colour, sometimes brush and sometimes fingers – for what he calls 'playing with the material like a child'. The outcome is an unrestricted interplay of different kinds of material". The exhibition featured a montage showcasing 50 years of Mondhe's art creations, including 90 pieces of sculptures, images, drawings and paintings. On one such occasion, he had a significant argument with a group of slum dwellers who were chopping down a tree. The award was given for his significant work over the years in the field of photography.